The Best Fantasy Shows From Every Year of the 2010s

4 hours ago 1

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark in 'Game of Thrones'

Published May 8, 2026, 10:03 PM EDT

The 2010s saw the medium of television undergo a drastic change. Cable TV took a bit of a decline in popularity, streaming services and on-demand viewing began to take over, and networks started dumping bigger budgets into their original productions. Platforms like Netflix, HBO, and Hulu really started to dominate things, changing the way people consume their favorite shows.

With this change came a few new trends. One of these trends was that there was a massive uptick in fantasy TV shows, a trend that began in the early 2010s and that persists to this very day. It seems that people just can't get enough of the fantasy genre, and with modern film techniques, it's now easier than ever to tell more outlandish stories. Every year of the 2010s, several major fantasy shows debuted to the point where it's easy to forget some of them. As such, this list will outline which fantasy shows were the absolute best for each year of this innovative decade.

10 'Adventure Time' (2010–2019)

Adventure Time started as any other Cartoon Network show. Only, this one completely blew up and managed to surpass every single expectation. The silly, whimsical Land of Ooo is home to a lot of things, from sentient, talking game consoles, kingdoms made of candy, and even a race of lemon people. Nothing is too weird or off the wall for this show, which is part of why so many people fell in love with it.

With it being a cartoon, of course, there's lots of humor involved. The humor doesn't feel immature, though, as it appeals to many age groups, including kids and adults alike. Yet, its humor isn't the only area where the show shines, as it also does pretty well in the morality department. There are a lot of relatable takeaways from this series, which often come with a bunch of life lessons that one would do well to remember. True to its namesake, there is indeed adventure involved, but where the show really succeeds is in its heart.

9 'Game of Thrones' (2011–2019)

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in 'Game of Thrones' Season 3

You probably knew that Game of Thrones would take the number one spot for the year 2011. Was there ever any doubt? It's hard to pinpoint any other TV series of any genre that has had quite the cultural impact Game of Thrones did. Seriously, this show was a huge, huge deal, unlike anything television had ever seen before. The complex story, the dozens, perhaps hundreds of unique characters, and the immense production value made this not only a great pit of drama, but also a feast for the eyes.

There's a little something for everyone in this series. Whether one likes comedy, drama, political thrillers, action, romance, or adventure, this show has it all, which is probably why Game of Thrones got so successful. Though many viewers expressed extreme disappointment at the show's finale, there is little doubt that most of the seasons of the show are absolutely perfect in pretty much every way. It's going to be a long time before television sees another phenomenon like Game of Thrones again.

8 'Gravity Falls' (2012–2016)

Dipper and Mabel watching from behind bushes in 'Gravity Falls'.

Gravity Falls is another one of those series that starts off looking and feeling pretty simple, but that gets way, way more complicated the longer one spends watching it. While initially, it's about two pre-teens spending their summer in the remote town of Gravity Falls, Oregon, the intervention of mysterious forces and magical beings makes their vacation very interesting, indeed. The show kicks off pretty much right away, thrusting viewers into the mystery surrounding the sleepy little town.

Unlike a lot of typical cartoons, there is genuine continuity in this one, meaning the episodes have to be watched in order of release, or there is no way one will be able to fully grasp the complex plot. There are so many unanswered questions in this series that it has prompted loads of online theories and discussions about it, which persist to this day. It is absolutely excellent and is a great watch for the curious or for those who enjoy philosophical themes in their cartoons.

7 'Attack on Titan' (2013–2023)

A titan roaring with mouth wide open, long dark hair whipping, eyes glowing, and a fiery background in Attack on Titan.

Attack on Titan is an iconic anime series that really took the world by storm. It wasn't just a hit with fans of the medium, either, as it attracted a ton of non-anime fans to it with its dystopian world, darkness, lovable characters, and creative premise. The premise in question follows the remnants of humanity in a war for their very survival against flesh-eating giants called "titans," which are nearly unkillable.

The world establishes itself right off the bat, letting the audience feel the crushing weight of humanity's insignificant place in this new, hostile world. No longer is humanity the apex predator; no longer do they rule the animal kingdom, because there are things out there that are much smarter and more powerful than them. It offers a new perspective to fantasy that isn't really explored much. This series is one heck of an emotional journey, which excels in nearly every aspect.

6 'Over the Garden Wall' (2014)

Wirt and Beatrice standing on the edge of the frog boat in Over the Garden Wall

Over the Garden Wall might be just a miniseries, but it was somebody's passion project, and it shows. The story follows two brothers who get lost in a deep, dark forest and have to find their way home. It's a simple, fairytale-like premise at first glance, but what ensues is something profound, as well as remarkably moving. While geared towards kids, the show found an audience of fans from all age groups due to its adventure and its heartfelt subtext.

It has a star-studded cast, too, with Elijah Wood, Christopher Lloyd, and John Cleese all having roles in it, and that's just some of the big names that make up the cast. At exactly 10 episodes, Over the Garden Wall managed to tell a concise, clear story that touched the hearts of its audience all around the world, and managed to develop a dedicated following that still discusses the show, even now. It's incredibly special, not just to the creators, but to those who have seen it, too.

Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars

Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you'd actually make it out of alive.

💊The Matrix

🔥Mad Max

🌧️Blade Runner

🏜️Dune

🚀Star Wars

TEST YOUR SURVIVAL →

You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.

APull on every thread until I understand the system — then figure out how to break it. BStop asking questions and start stockpiling — food, fuel, weapons. Questions don't keep you alive. CKeep my head down, observe carefully, and trust no one until I know who's pulling the strings. DStudy the patterns. Every system has a rhythm — learn it, and you learn how to survive it. EFind the people fighting back and join them. You can't fix a broken galaxy alone.

NEXT QUESTION →

In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.

AKnowledge. If you understand the system, you don't need resources — you can generate them. BFuel. Everything else — movement, power, escape — runs on it. CTrust. In a world of fakes and informants, a truly reliable ally is rarer than any commodity. DWater. And after water, information — the two things empires are truly built on. EShips and credits. The galaxy is big — you survive it by being able to move through it freely.

NEXT QUESTION →

What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of.

AThat reality itself is a lie — that everything I experience has been constructed to keep me compliant. BA raid. No warning, no mercy — just the roar of engines and then nothing left. CBeing identified. Once someone with power decides you're a problem, you're already out of time. DBeing outmanoeuvred — losing a political game I didn't even know I was playing. EThe Empire tightening its grip until there's nowhere left to run.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you deal with authority you don't trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.

ASubvert it from the inside — learn its rules well enough to weaponise them against it. BIgnore it and stay out of its reach. The further from any power structure, the better. CAppear to comply while doing exactly what I need to do. Visibility is the enemy. DManoeuvre within it carefully. You can't beat a system you refuse to understand. EResist openly when I have to. Some things are worth the risk of being seen.

NEXT QUESTION →

Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn't just tactical — it's physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.

AUnderground bunkers and server rooms — cramped, artificial, but with access to everything that matters. BOpen wasteland — brutal sun, no shelter, constant movement. At least the threat is honest. CA dense, rain-soaked city where you can disappear into the crowd and nobody asks questions. DMerciless desert — extreme heat, no water, and something enormous living beneath the sand. EThe fringe — backwater planets and busy spaceports where the Empire's attention rarely reaches.

NEXT QUESTION →

Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.

AA tight crew of believers who've seen behind the curtain and have nothing left to lose. BOne or two people I'd trust with my life. Any more than that and someone talks. CNobody, ideally. Alliances are liabilities. I work alone unless I have no choice. DA community bound by shared hardship and mutual survival — people who need each other to last. EA ragtag team with wildly different skills and total commitment when it counts.

NEXT QUESTION →

Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they're actually made of.

AI won't harm the innocent — even the ones who'd report me without hesitation. BI do what I have to to protect the people I've chosen. Everything else is negotiable. CThe line shifts depending on who's asking and what's at stake. DI draw a long-term line — nothing that compromises my people's future, even if it'd help now. ESome lines, once crossed, can't be uncrossed. I know which ones they are.

NEXT QUESTION →

What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.

AWaking others up — dismantling the illusion so no one else has to live inside it. BFinding somewhere — or someone — worth protecting. A reason to keep moving. CAnswers. Understanding what I am, what any of this means, before time runs out. DLegacy — shaping the future in a way that outlasts me by generations. EFreedom — for myself, for others, for every world still living under someone else's boot.

REVEAL MY WORLD →

Your Fate Has Been Calculated You'd Survive In…

Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.

The Matrix

You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You're a systems thinker who can't help but notice the seams in things.

You're drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You'd find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines' worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You'd be the one probing the walls for the door.

Mad Max

The wasteland doesn't reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That's you.

You don't need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you're good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.

Blade Runner

You'd survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.

You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You're not a hero. But you're not lost, either.
In Blade Runner's world, that distinction is everything.

Dune

Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.

Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they're survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You'd learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn't just survive Arrakis — you'd begin to reshape it.

Star Wars

The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn't have it any other way.

You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You'd gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire's grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn't something you're capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

5 'The Magicians' (2015–2020)

A group of people outdoors hold their arms up and mouths open in The Magicians.

The Magicians is honestly pretty underrated, but there's little doubt that it definitely deserves to be crowned the best fantasy series of 2015. The story starts with a student enrolling at a university, hoping to become a magician. Only, he ends up becoming a magician in the more literal sense. Instead of learning to pull rabbits out of hats, he winds up learning proper spells and incantations, discovering that the magical world from his favorite childhood fairytales is not only real, but also in a state of crisis.

For being a SyFy series, the visual effects of the magic are actually pretty impressive, and it really does a good job of hooking the viewer and never letting go. Fans loved the endlessly entertaining cast of characters and the banter between them, as well as the high-stakes story and its overall imagination. This is a perfect series for Harry Potter fans and for low fantasy fans in general.

4 'The Good Place' (2016–2020)

Michael with a guitar sitting at a desk in the series finale of The Good Place, Whenever You're Ready.

The Good Place isn't exactly fantasy in the traditional sense. There's not a lot of magic or mythical beings found within. Instead, it fits the definition because it takes place in an alternate dimension, an afterlife used to reward people who have lived their lives virtuously. Unlike most other fantasy TV shows, this one is a sitcom at heart, focusing on how the departed interact with each other in this new realm of eternity.

However, the series proved that it can still floor its audience just as well as any fantasy drama series. It includes one of the most legendary plot twists of all time, which cemented its legacy as a sitcom with a surprising amount of substance. There are also some deeply profound moments of moral wisdom contained within, especially in the finale. While the show is funny, it can just as easily make the viewer cry, and it definitely deserves the spot of being the best fantasy series of 2016.

3 'Castlevania' (2017–2021)

Dracula and Lisa, voiced by Graham McTavish and Emily Swallow, hold hands and lock eyes in Castlevania.

Normally, one would expect a TV show based on a video game to be nothing but a quick cash grab with little substance, and that barely resembles the source material. Fear not, because Castlevania puts those fears to rest. Based on the original Japanese video game series, which began in the 1980s, this series was actually created by an American studio. However, they decided to pay homage to the franchise's Japanese roots by having it done in an anime art style—"Americanime," if you will.

But don't expect to find common anime tropes of ninjas or samurai here. The show, like the original games, draws inspiration from European Gothic literature. This means vampires, werewolves, and other terrifying creatures of the night rule here. It's dark, gritty, but also a wonderful treat for fans of the original video games. Even if you've never played the games before, this is honestly an exceptional show that demands more attention.

2 'The Dragon Prince' (2018–2024)

The main protagonists of The Dragon Prince together.

The Dragon Prince is a really ambitious project considering how lore-heavy it is, and how it has no source material to fall back on. There is no comic series, no group of novels, no video game to back this one up. It comes straight from the minds of its creators. Considering that, the world they created and the history behind it is actually really impressive. The series centers on the continent of Xadia, which is at war with itself. Non-magical humans have begun a war with the magical elves and dragons, throwing the continent into chaos.

Netflix's The Dragon Prince plays things a little safer. While it's not good for little kids, it's more of a young adult/teen fantasy series, though one that can still safely be enjoyed by adults. It's not just charming—the 3D animation and use of color are absolutely stunning. The fact that it's gorgeous isn't all it has going for it, however, as the story is also pretty engrossing, as is its expansive world. It's not easy to get tired of The Dragon Prince, which is why it's easily the best fantasy series of 2018.

1 'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance' (2019)

Crowning the best fantasy TV show of 2019 is honestly kind of a big ask, because there were so many good ones that came out that year. From The Witcher to South Korea's Kingdom, there are really a lot of options to choose from. However, in terms of charm, consistency, quality, and overall world-building, the title has got to go to The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. This one is a true masterpiece, which is why many still haven't forgiven Netflix for unceremoniously cancelling it after just one season.

The show is a prequel to the 1982 Jim Henson film The Dark Crystal, taking audiences back to the world of Thra and allowing them to witness the rise of the Skeksis and the extinction of the gelflings. Like the movie, it's created almost entirely with practical effects and puppetry, giving an extra special something in the world of television. The world of Thra is truly beautiful, and it's so easy to get lost in this show, which is just one of many reasons why it was the best fantasy series to come out that year.

Read Entire Article